The Excise Department has decided not to extend licences for 2025 of liquor producers who do not pay the arrears of taxes for 2023-2024 before November 30.
Excise Commissioner General M. J. Gunasiri told the Daily News that Rs.1.8 billion will be charged as tax arrears and it has been decided not to issue licences to those alcohol producers who do not pay the arrears.
At the beginning of every year, the Excise Department has a tradition of holding discussions with the liquor manufacturing establishments every three months about the revenue targets, the programme to achieve them and the obstacles that arise and the actions taken to solve them.
Gunasiri said that the fourth review for this year was held yesterday (02) at the Excise Department in Colombo and it was significant that representatives of all 27 liquor manufacturing establishments in the country were present.
The Excise Commissioner General said that he has assured that the new government will work to ensure the collection of excise tax revenues and not to interfere in the affairs of the department in any way.
Gunasiri who explained the decisions taken in the review meeting held with the alcohol production companies, said that it was decided to introduce new stickers for toddy and Sake products.
Besides, it was decided to implement the same mechanism for other liquor products from next year.
Accordingly, it was decided to stick all the stickers with the old safety methods currently owned by the production companies on the product bottles before December 31 or to destroy the remaining amount in a very accurate and transparent manner.
He said that the law will be implemented very strictly to prevent the production of illegal liquor including Kasippu.
Gunasiri also said that it was decided to remove the obstacles and weaknesses for the export of local alcohol products and speed up the activities to generate income for the country.
(Daily News)
